Woman Who Previously Slept In Hats To Hide Her Alopecia Is Now Baring All And Embracing It

A woman left so embarrassed when she began balding aged 21 that she’d sleep in hats to hide the truth from her boyfriend has now bravely posted photos of her intricately-painted scalp online.

Hannah Goozee, 29, was completing her dissertation at Oxford Brookes University when her hairdresser noticed bald patches around her ears.

Initially, the pediatric occupational therapist assumed the thinning was due to tying her hair back – but the problem worsened, until she was eventually diagnosed with alopecia.

Hannah's stunning body art (PA Real Life/@zoe_artistsharvest)

For years, she hid her condition, even sleeping in a hat or scarf around her boyfriend, IT worker Simon Lewis, 31.

But last month, courageous Hannah, of Basingstoke, Hampshire, finally embraced the way she looks by having her head painted and posting the poignant snaps to Instagram.

She said:

“I always saw my bald head as ugly. But finally, with the gorgeous body art, it is pretty and something I could feel happy and proud of.”

Hannah with partner Simon (PA Real Life/Collect)

Now speaking out to let other alopecia sufferers know they aren’t alone, Hannah told of how she first realized there was a problem when she went to get her short blonde hair highlighted whilst in her final year of university.

At first, when staff pointed out a few bald spots, the occupational therapy graduate wasn’t especially worried.

But, returning six weeks later for another appointment, she discovered the patches had worsened.

Hannah (PA Real Life/Collect)

Then, when she began to find clumps of hair on her bedroom floor, Hannah went to visit her GP in 2009.

There, she was diagnosed with alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease which causes spotted balding.

“They said there wasn’t much they could do to help, but I really hoped I wouldn’t lose a full head of hair,” she said.

Hannah (PA Real Life/Collect)

Hannah added:

“I thought it would come back and it would be a short-term thing. I never imagined that, before the age of 30, I would be completely bald and have no hair on my body at all.”

Six months after her diagnosis, Hannah bought her first ever hair-piece from a shop in Bloomsbury, central London, costing $1,700 to cover the rapidly balding spots.

She said:

“It blended in with my own hair, so people just thought I had had extensions, as it was so natural looking.”

Hannah went to a pub, showing off her henna tattoo (PA Real Life/Louise Rayner Photography)

Then, 18 months later she met Simon on a night out.

Tragically, as her relationship with Simon blossomed, her locks continued to wither, leaving her incredibly self-conscious.

A few weeks into their romance, Hannah decided to tell her new man about her condition – but refused to let him see her uncovered head for two years.

“I would sleep in hats or scarves around him,” she explained. “Simon told me I didn’t need to cover up, but I felt too self-conscious not too.”

Hannah's stunning body art (PA Real Life/@zoe_artistsharvest)

She continued:

“I realized I probably missed out on so much because I was embarrassed to go anywhere where I would have to stay over and show how bad my hair loss had become."

“But after two years with Simon, I realised I needed to show him my head, and he said he would love me no matter what.”

By 24, Hannah was told she had developed alopecia universalis, where you lose hair from all over your body – prompting her to buy her first ever wig from the same shop in central London, also costing $1,700.

For the next few years, she remained embarrassed, with only Simon, her family and a few close friends aware of her condition.

But last year, when she started to volunteer with support charity Alopecia UK, she began to feel more confident about her look.

“Being with other women who have alopecia, who understand that hair is a massive part of feeling feminine, was a massive turning point for me,” she said.

Hannah in a lace wig, with partner Simon (PA Real Life/Collect)

Hannah continued:

“One day at an alopecia festival in September last year, I had a henna tattoo done on my head and a stunning photograph taken."

“Afterwards people suggested we go to a pub, but I didn’t have time to go back to the hotel and fix my wig on, so I went bald.”

Being out in public for the first time was nerve-racking for Hannah – but also gave her a confidence boost she needed.

Hannah before her hair loss (PA Real Life/Collect)

She continued:

“I finally felt strong enough for people to see me without my wig on, and with my Alopecia UK community around me, it was a massive milestone.”

And, last month, Hannah reached another pivotal moment when she bravely posted photos on her Instagram page of her bald head, transformed with beautiful body art.

Hannah, who now wears a blonde permanent wig and false eyelashes when she goes out, said:

“I had heard of a woman who lives near me called Zoe who does incredible body painting, and I thought I would give it a go.”

Hannah (PA Real Life/Collect)

Hannah added:

“Seeing myself in the mirror afterwards, I felt amazing. It made me feel more womanly, and now, even though I don’t feel sassy enough to walk into a supermarket without my wig on, I am taking small steps to get there."

“I want anyone with alopecia to know they are not alone, and hopefully by me speaking out and sharing my pictures, they will get a confidence boost too.”

Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA15) has already been talking about a potential 2020 presidential bid. Swalwell will be 40 on inauguration day 2020. Should he win the democratic nomination and eventually the Presidency, he would become the youngest person ever to be elected to the office. The current record holder is JFK who took the oath at the age of 43. Theodore Roosevelt became President at the age of 42, but he was not elected at that point. He assumed office after President McKinley was assassinated.

In preparation for a potential White House bid, Swalwell has been outlining his policy positions. Most recently, he published an op-ed in USA Today outlining his views on gun control.

The lede reads...

"Ban assault weapons and buy them back. It might cost $15 billion, but we can afford it. Consider it an investment in our most important right, the right to live."

Of course, the article immediately made the rounds in conservative circles, and InfoWars blogger Joe Biggs had this to say in response...

And Swalwell responded...

To which Biggs said...

But Swalwell quickly pointed out that he was referring to the erroneous anti-gun control position that says they're needed to fight back if the government becomes tyrannical.

Swalwell's point is that open and unrestricted gun sales won't help anyone fight the government if it becomes tyrannical because the government's military resources far outpace guns. In effect, that argument in favor of lax gun restrictions should be thrown right out the window.

But still, former Republican congressman Joe Walsh couldn't resist jumping in the fray.

To which Swalwell was quick to respond...

Walsh pulled back slightly on the forcefulness, however still blasted Swalwell's proposed policy.

And despite the fact that Walsh acknowledged that Swalwell was being sarcastic, he still went on the air on his radio show and talked about the second amendment being the most important one. He went on to say that this is especially true after a 'sitting congressman sarcastically threatened to nuke fellow Americans over it.'

We think we can take a guess at one of the questions Rep. Swalwell will be asked in the Democratic primary debates.

If you've never heard of Katie Hopkins, conservative U.K. "media personality and conspiracy theorist," prepare for a nauseating introduction. Hopkins is known across the pond for her intolerant rhetoric and baseless accusations made in support of her conspiracy-related beliefs. On November 12, she tweeted the following bigoted nonsense:

Trump has gotten really good at shoving his foot so far down his throat that he's digesting his toenails, but in light of the widespread forest fires in California, he's reached an entirely new low, just when you think he can't get lower!